I’ve often heard worship arts pastors and leaders talk about the many areas in which we must be experts: playing and singing proficiently, thinking through creative elements, instructing others, pastoring people, recruiting new players, scheduling volunteers, and planning for weekly services, events, and holidays — to name a few. Besides all that, we often endure criticism, since everyone brings their past and preferences to worship.

With so many dynamics in play every single week, how do we keep in focus the things that matter most? While working to keep it all in balance, we may inadvertently lean into habits that are counterproductive to the end goal of leading people into communion with God. Here are five temptations I have faced as a worship pastor, and ways our team has worked to overcome them.

Failing to Welcome New Team Members

There is something about the awesome dynamic that can develop on a team of musicians who have played together for a long time. You start to think the same, transition the same, breathe the same. However, if new members are not integrated into the team, players may eventually burn out or become over-possessive of their roles.

As a church plant, for several years we were just four tight players. But as the church grew, the team had to stretch. We realized we will never develop people if we don’t give them an opportunity to be part of the team.

I like to play with good players, but it has been a positive exercise for me to train people and help them improve. We have added people who bring diversity of age, style and ethnicity, which is a blessing to the church as a whole.

Over-Programming

This is probably the greatest temptation. Purposely leaving space for God to move and not becoming overly consumed with ambient elements is a constant challenge. It is so easy to pack the time with songs and videos. But by the end of the service, it leaves no opportunity for response.

I have to remember that the purpose of the worship service is not for the team to play and sing; it’s for the congregation to worship God.

Recently, we realized we were trying to accomplish too much in 75 minutes, and what was getting cut out was space for worship and altar response. So we added 15 minutes to each service, and it has made an enormous difference. Worship doesn’t feel so rushed. There’s time for the pastor to add to worship if he wants, as well as built-in time for response to the message.

Over-Critiquing

There’s a trend right now to do a weekly debrief meeting following the weekend services. While this sounds like a great idea, we have resisted this temptation for a few reasons.

I have to remember that the purpose of the worship service is for the congregation to worship God.

First, it focuses the eyes of the staff on the negative aspects of the service. Second, the drill-down on minute issues begins to emphasize production over people. Third, it’s too much focus on Sunday morning, when growth groups and family ministry are also major emphases for us.

We continually look to improve Sunday mornings; we even have strategic ways to evaluate. It just has to be balanced with investing our time in a people-oriented focus.

Coasting

On the flip side of over-programming and over-critiquing is coasting. I recently ministered at a church where the keyboard was old and broken-down, as well as some of the microphones and cables. When I mentioned this to the pastor, he said, “All the worship pastor has to do is ask.”

The condition of the gear, the presentation of new music, and the implementation of new team members are a few examples of things that require attention on the part of the leader. It’s easy to get stuck in our roles, so utilize someone from outside your team to give feedback on areas you may not see.

Another way to push past feeling stuck is to pick up a new instrument, or take a few lessons on the instrument you already play. It can open up renewed passion for a job that has become mundane.

Lack of Spirituality

I’ll be the first to admit it: We drift. My goal has always been to practice the Spirit as much as we practice the music, but over the years, it has been more convenient to give time to music rehearsal.

This summer, our church graciously allowed us to take a sabbatical. During that extended time away, God challenged my husband, Wayne, and me to get back to prayer. We added morning prayer to the daily office schedule, as well as Friday morning and noon prayer for the whole church. I retooled my worship practice to include a longer time of free worship and prayer.

Once we started this, we asked ourselves: How could we have gone this long without it? It has changed the dynamic of our services, fostering an intensity we cannot manufacture. We have begun to see doors open that have long been closed, and divine appointments that are moving us forward in new ways.

We must maintain a careful balance between team development, excellence and spirituality. All are important. All are biblical. Take some time to identify which areas are your greatest temptation and how you can take steps to overcome them.

Let’s aspire to be like the temple musicians who were “set apart … for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals … all of them trained and skilled in music for the Lord” (1 Chronicles 25:1,7).